---
title: "Using the chat activity"
slug: "using-the-chat-activity"
tags: ["Totara Learn", "Participant", "How-to"]
updated: 2025-07-22T10:52:18Z
published: 2025-07-22T11:18:31Z
canonical: "totara.help/using-the-chat-activity"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using the chat activity

When you have [added a chat activity to a course](/19/docs/add-a-course-activity-or-resource) and set up a chat session, users can join the chat by following these steps:

1. Go to the course containing the chat activity.
2. Open the chat and click **Click here to enter the chat now**.
3. Start typing into the chat window.

As well as typing messages in the chat there are some additional options:

- **Talk:** This will direct a message at a user but all users will be able to see the message
- **Beep:** This will alert a user that you have 'beeped' them but other users will not see this
- **Themes:** Choose from Bubble, Compact, and Course theme

Below is an example of chat in use. There are three different users, the first is using the **Bubble** theme, the second the **Compact** theme, and the third the **Course** theme. As they use the **Talk** and **Beep** features you can see how these appear to each user.

![Example of chat being used by three users.](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/AOjqgpbyKinKYU-pw-z0kdaWIue1WOPQUsS_zB7UD58BDm0MLZXrWTSik111uN1RHZe0DzeI_6Y-AMuy7yuXrOJspnjWPyg7XN9St-u9XuIXuH2pbI8WFaKkZbWJKqgh2IeNcvyD=s0)

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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